Device for handling coal



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. L-AWTON.

DEVIUE FOB HANDLING GOAL, 0335, 8:0. No. 253.928. Patented Feb 21,1882.

Invenrtm J N. PETERS, Fhnln-Lilhognpher. Washinglnn. b4 u,

( l) 4 Sneets-Sheet 3. A. LAWTON.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING GOAL, 0333, &c. No. 253,928. v Patented Feb. 21,1882.

mtwess es 17271679507! (M 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. A. LAWTON.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING GOAL, ORE-S, (830' N0. 253,928. 74 Patented Feb. 21,1882.

Wwtnasses UNrrEn STATES PATENT ()rrrce...

ALFRED LAVVTO-N, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING COAL, ORES, Soc.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,928, dated February 21, 1882.

I Application filed January 12, 1881. (No model.)

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED LAWTON, of the city of Elizabeth, in the county of Union and .State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Handling Goal, Ores, Earth, Grain, and Similar Materials, of which the followingis a specification.

A large proportion of the coal used in and about large cities is delivered at tide-water, either in canal-boats or railway-cars, and is unloaded from the boats, either directly into steamers or other vessels, for use or for transportation, or piled in convenient places for future loading and transportation upon vessels or cars.

Although many attempts have been made to reduce the expense and time in loading and unloading coal, yet the methods now generally used are the same as for manyyears past, that most practiced being the use of single buckets which are filled by hand-shovels and raised by pulleys and ropes. This method is expensive and slow, and practically can only deliver the material at short distances. The alleged improved machinery and devices which have been constructed for these purposes have either proved upon trialimpracticable, or were so theoreticalin their construction and operation that they have never been tested.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a set of devices, hereinafter fullyset forth and shown, by means of which coal and all granular material can be loaded into and unloaded from vessels and cars or other vehicles, and can be raised, conveyed to any place and piled for storage, and, if desired, can be again raised and conveyed to the desired place for shipment or reshipment.

The devices and their combinations which constitute this invention have been thoroughly tested, and it is found that a saving of more than sevcneeighths in time and money is made in the handling of coal alone over the most improved methods in practical use.

The invention relates to endless conveyors of special construction, and the manner in which such conveyers are mounted and operated; the

combination of endlessconveyers and endless elevators, when arranged and mounted tooperate as described, together with certain features such conveyers and elevators, of chutes and devices for adjusting the same 5 and the combination of main and cross conveyers, and devices and mechanism by which power is communicated and applied, all substantially as herein= after fully set forth. 7

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, (four sheets,) in which Figure 1, Sheet I, is a side View ofa section ofthe conveyor-pans. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the conveyer supported by its frame and driven by spiders, and the whole mounted on wheels; and Fig. 4 isa sectional view of the samethrough the line a: w of Fig. 3, the parts shown beyond being omitted.

In the drawings, a a 'a a represent pans or receptacles for receiving and holding the material to be conveyed. The size and strength of these pans may difl'er with the difierent kinds of material to be conveyed. For coal, e.g., each pan may conveniently be made from a single sheet of heavy sheet-iron by turning up the sides at nearly right angles to the bottom, leaving one end of each pan slightly wider than the other, so that the wider end will permit the end of the next preceding pan of the series to be placed within it, thus overlapping its sides and the end ofits bottom, and its narrower end to be received by the next succeeding pan in the same manner, as fully shown in Fig. 1. The proper dimensions of these pans will vary with the material to be carried. For coal practical sizes will be from twenty inchesto three feet in width-4. 0., across the conveyer; from twelve to fourteen inches in length-t. 0., along the side of the conveyor; andfro'm three to six inches in height, and maybe of iron or wood, as may be found most economicaland practical.

The pans are hinged together to' form a complete circuit by means 'of eyes I) b b 1), formed on links attached to the bottoms of the pans, and by rods 0 00, passing through these eyes. These eyes are conveniently formed on the ends of narrow strips of iron, which are riveted to the bottoms of the pans, three to each pan being preferred, to give the'requisite tensile strength to draw the load, and they are located directly on the ends of the under pans when the pans 50 of construction in each; the combination, with are in the position shown in Fig. 1, and on such 10o Y the ends of the rods c 0.

a line on each adjacent pan as will give the desired lap. The rods 0 c c are inserted through the eyes, and the pans are thus united by him ged joints, the rods being of such diameter that they are not liable to work out, but at the same time will permit the pans to turn upon them and can be drawn out by the proper tools.

Small wheels g g g g are fitted to revolve upon These wheels may be applied to each rod or only to every alternate one, as circumstances may require, and may be flanged or plain, as desired. The conveyer thus constructed, and represented by A in Fig. 3,is mounted upon a suitably-constructed frame, 0, at each end of which is journaled a revolving spider or sheave, B B. These spiders are provided with radiating arms, and on the ends of these are semicircular fingers d d, constructed to embrace the side eyes, b 11, formed by the links on the bottoms of the pans, and by the revolution of the spiders move the circuit of pans around the spiders. c 0 show the fingers in engagement with the eyes I) I).

The wheels 9 g g 9 run upon tracks located upon the upper and lower part of the frame 0. If the wheels are flanged, a common track may be used; if the wheels are plain, angle-iron may be used, one arm of the iron being nailed upon the track for the path of the wheels, and the other projecting upward by the side of the wheels, forming a guide. This construction is shown at h h in Fig. 4:. Instead of angleiron, separate joists of wood or iron may be placed above the track, either inside or outside of the track. Only the upper track need be provided with special guides for the wheels, as when the pans in .their course have been reversed their sides, in combination with the track, will furnish the requisite guide, as shown in Fig. 4. The lower track, E, is inclined upward from a point underneath the spiders toward the longitudinal center of the frame 0. This is to prevent the line of pans from sagging, and to cause the eyes of the pans as they pass under the spiders to be brought into engagement with as many of the arms of the spiders as practicable. This inclination of the lower track is shown at ff in Fig. 3.

If for any reason it is desired to tighten the series of pans, the track E can be made adjustable by screws passing into the frame and the track, whereby it can be made to assume an upward curve and lengthen the path of the pans. The entire structure thus described may be mounted upon wheels D D, for the purpose of being run back and forth upon a track, 13, or

upon the ground or platform, as may be de-' sired. There are, however, many conditions in which the wheels D D are unnecessary and can be dispensed with to advantage.

It will be observed that the conveyer A is so constructed that it can be lengthened or shortened at will. To lengthen the conveyer it is only necessary to draw one of the rods 0 from its eyes I) b and unite the ends thus sundered to the ends of an additional section of any desired number of pans. In this case the supporting-frame O can be correspondinglylengthened by another frame placed against one of its ends and provided with one or more spiders, as may be most convenient.

The conveyer may be shortened by drawing two of the rods 0 0, taking out the desired section of pans, and joining the ends by passing a single rod through the eyes, as at first.

The frame 0 maybe made adjustable longitudinally within certain limits-that is, capable of being drawn out and closed np,like an extension-table-to accommodate the increased or decreased length of the conveyer without the use of any additional frames or spiders. This capability of being shortened or lengthened by the insertion or withdrawal of a section at any point of its extent constitutesone of the peculiar and important features of this conveyer.

The power to drive the conveyor is conveniently applied to a chain-wheel formed on one of its spider-shafts, and may be applied to either of the end spiders, as convenience of attachment and the conditions of the work may require. If the power is applied to the righthand spider to revolve it in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 3, the load will be drawn toward this spider and the left-hand spider caused to revolve by means of power communicated through the conveyer or hinged series of pans. If,'on the other hand, itis applied to the left-hand spider to move the pans in the same direction, motion is then communicatedthrough the pans to the other spider, and then both will revolve in unison. This follows from the fact that the conveyer andthe spiders are so related to each otherin their construction that as the conveyer is drawn forward by the revolution of either of its end spiders the links on the bottom of the pans are brought into engagement with the fingers of the other spider with unerring precision, and the spiders are compelled to revolve at the same rate of speed. It is obvious that the power thus communicated to the spider or spiders through the series of pans may be taken off from the spider-shafts by bands or chains.

and transmitted to any other machinery and made to do additional work.

The'operation of this conveyeris briefly as follows: Power being communicated to the righthand spider, by which itis revolved, Fig.3,three or four of the fingers of each spider being in engagement with the links of the pans, the conveyer is drawn forward along the upper track and pushed backward along the lower track, and the left-hand spider thereby compelled to revolve. The conveyer is thus moved round and round the spiders in a continuous circuit, and is made suiiiciently flexible to turn easily over the ends of thespiders and fall into engagement upon the fingers. The lap of the pans is enough so that no material can fall through the joints, and the under pans, being jointed at their extreme ends, move round the spiders in making the turn without being obstructed in any way by the lap of the pans above them.

The material to be carried is delivered onto the conveyer in any convenient way at the point D, and is discharged at the point D- as the pans are tilted in turning over the spider.

It will be readily observed that conveyers constructed asabove described may be of any desired length, and may be provided with any desired number of spiders located between the end or driving spiders. These intermediate spiders are located at points wherever it is desired to deliver the material, or some part thereof; and for the purpose of such delivery the conveyer is cut at any one of the spiders and then joined, and this spider then becomes one of the end or driving spiders. 'When the requisite quantity is delivered at this point the conveyer is lengthened by the insertion of a section of the proper length to the next spider, which in turn becomes a driving and delivering spider, and so on in succession until the end or last spider of the series is reached.

Fig. 5, Sheet II, represents an elevator suspended from a frame mounted on a boat, in combination with delivering and discharging conveyers, 85c.

In the drawings, Trepresents a boat or barge of convenient size for supporting the frame and for carrying the desired number of conveyers and apparatus for the work to be done. A convenient frame, from which the elevator is suspended, may be constructed of four inclined posts, two of which,'M M, are shown in the drawings. These posts are strengthened by crosspieces M, and .by diagonal braces M the whole being made firm and strong. The beam-lever L is centrally journaled on the top of this frame and between the two sets of inclined posts. suspended, by a cable or chain, 1, the elevator F,*while the other end is balanced, or partly balanced, by the weight N, which is connected by a rope or chain to the drum Q.

Instead of using the lever L as a means of suspending the elevator, one or more posts securely fastened to the elevator-frame and extendingeither vertically orobliquely,as'desired, to'a sufficient height, may be employed, and the elevator may be suspended to these posts, so that it can be raised and lowered by means of ropes and chains passing over double and triple blocks upon the posts, and over similar blocks upon the elevator-frame. When such posts are used in the place of the lever L the counter-weightN maybe dispensed with.

The elevator F consists of an endless series of buckets located in a frame, GG, and moved around by the revolving spiders K and K.

The. buckets j are of iron or steel, or other material of sufficient strength, and are of trough-like shape, triangular in cross-section, with closed ends, and open only above as they ascend the elevator. They are so constructed that when they turn over the upper spider to discharge their contents any preceding bucket To one end of the beam L is which has discharged its load will form an inclined surface to direct the contents of any succeeding bucket which is being discharged into the chute.

The buckets are united by means of hinged joints, so shaped along their sides that the fingers of the spiders will engage with them and communicate the power from one spider to the other, substantially as shown and described heretofore of the conveyer A. The size and carrying capacity of the buckets may be determined by the kind of material to be raised, and by the capacity of the conveyers to deliver or remove it.

The elevator may be driven faster or slower than the conveyer-s with which it is combined, as circumstances may require.

The foot or bottom of the elevator-frame is provided with two or more vertical pieces, I, called guards, extending downward to a slight distance below the range of the buckets, to prevent the buckets from coming in contact with the surface on which the material to be raised rests. For this purpose the longitudinal beams of the frame G G may be extended downward to the proper distance.

The foot of the elevator may, and for many purposes should, be provided with wheels H, sothat it can be readily moved forward and backward within the limit of the lateral adj ustment upon a track, t, or platform, to reach the material to be raised. especially for unloading from the hulls of boats or vessels when the foot of the elevator is lowered for thatpurpose, the guards I, instead of being vertical pieces, may be advantageously made of two pieces of strong half-round iron bent into substantially semicircular shape, and firmly secured, one to each side of the foot of the elevator-frame, whereby the buckets-are prevented from coming in contact with the keel.

The frame of the elevator is connected to the driving-drum R on the frame of the barge by braces or arms a", one on each side of the elevator, which is hinged to the elevator-frame. This enables the foot of the elevator to be adjusted from a vertical to an inclined position on either side of a vertical line, and thus gives it the capacity to pick up the material within the limits of its lateral adjustment.

A is an endless conveyer, in construction like the con veyer hereinbefore described, and is firmly attached to the frame of the elevator F, to convey the material to any desired distance.

S is a chute located between the discharge of the elevator and receiving-point of the conveyer, and has a hinge attachment to the elevator to permit its adjustment with the conveyer. It may also be provided with a screen to screen the coal, when required, under which may be located a hopper and chute to convey the screenings into the barge, or conduct them to any other required place. The opposite end of the conveyer is adjustable by means of a rope or chain passing over pulleys t t, and can For some purposes,"

lIO

he raised or lowered at will, its connection with the elevator for this purpose being a hinged joint.

S is a chute connected to the end of the conveyer by a small wheel or wheels which run in a groove or grooves in the conveyer-frame, and is controlled by ropes and pulleys, so that it can be raised and lowered to take the proper position when the conveyer is at different degrees of inclination. The mouth of this chute is provided with adoor, U, which can be opened and closed as desired, and delivers the material to scales Y, provided with a door, z, and an incline, y.

The object of the weight N is to partially balance the elevator, and thus keep the boat from careenin g ovcr toward the elevator side, and also to assist the raising and lowering of the elevator. For this purpose the drum Q is provided with a geared wheel, which meshes with the driving-wheel P, and is arranged to be readily thrown into and out of engagement, as required.

Instead of suspending the elevator from the swinging beam L, a stationary beam may be used, and the supporting-cable passed over pulleys on the ends of the beam and around the drum Q. The construction of the swinging beam has this great advantage-that as the barge is moving from place to place alongside of wharves, vessels, &c., the swinging beam can be brought into nearly a vertical position, and both the elevator and weight N be hung directly over the deck, so as in no way to interfere with objects outside the path of the barge.

The elevator and conveyer may be conveniently driven by power taken from the engine 0, placed on the deck of the boat, and communicated from the chain-wheel P by a chainband, 022, to a driving chain wheel or drum, R; thence by a chain, a, passing around a suitably-sized drum on the wheel 1t and a drum on the shaft of the spider K; thence by a chain, q, passing round a drum on the opposite end of the spider-shaft K, and round a similar drum, 1), on the spider-shaft of the conveyer A.

A is a conveyer similar in construction to A, and designed to deliver the material to the elevator F.

F is a shoveler or elevator of sufficient height to raise the material, so that it can be delivered by a chute, upon the conveyer. The supporting-frame of the shoveler and conveyer are mounted upon wheels, so as to move forward and backward with the adjustable foot of the elevator F. The conveyer is so constructed that it can be cut at any points, as X X, and a section of conveyers of the required length with frame and wheels inserted.

Motion is communicated to the conveyer by connecting the spider-shaft K of the elevator withthe spider-shaft K of the conveyer, and to the shoveler by connecting the spider-shaft K with K. These connections are preferably by chain-wheels and bands.

J is a receiver secured to the end of the conveyer, and having its bottom and sides sloping down toward the foot of the elevator, for the purpose of conveying and retaining the material in position to be caught up by the revolving buckets of the elevator. Smallwheels a may be attached to its free end to facilitate moving it to and fro.

The application of the combinations of the elevators, conveyors, chutes, shovelers, &c., shown in Fig. 5 and described above are numerous and of great utility as compared with any arrangement heretofore in practical use. The drawings represent the various devicesin proper condition for taking the material-any granular material not too coarse-and raising it from the wharf or platform where it'is piled and delivering it weighed-so many tons-ou' board the boat or vessel T. For this purpose it is raised by the shovcler F, delivered through the chute a upon the conveyer A, and carried thence and delivered at the foot of the elevator F. Thence itis taken by the buckets of the elevator and delivered through the chute S upon the conveyer A, and delivered by this conveyer through the chute S into the boxscale Y, and then dumped into the hold of the vessel.

The conveyer A may be lengthened almost indefinitely to bring the material to the elevator from long distances, and by the use of cross-conveyors, as hereinafter explained, the material may be delivered upon the main conveyer A from any direction or directions. When the material lies within reach of the adjustable foot of the elevator, or in bins or piles beneath platforms, or on dumping-grounds beneath railway-tracks, the conveyer A may be disconnected from the elevator and the material be taken up in the first instance by the elevator and delivered to the conveyer A, and so on. This construction would be employed in unloading from one vessel or boat into another. The material would be raised from the hold by the elevator, conveyed across the barge T by the conveyor A, and dumped into any other vessel, as T. It is especially advantageous in unloading canal-boats and piling the material for storage. For this purpose it is only necessary to turn the barge T around from the position shown in the drawings, so as to bring the elevator F over the boat T, lower it into the hold, raise the material, extend the conveyer A to any required length, giving it any desired inclination, and as the piling progresses still further increasing the length of the conveyer by the insertion of additional sections, and,if desirable, using crossconveyers to distribute from the main c011- veyerin any lateral direction. The same results could be obtained by mounting the elevator-frame upon a turn-table located upon a wharf. When the elevator was on the land side, as shown in Fig. 5, the material could be taken from the wharf and loaded into vessels, and by simply giving a half-turn to the table boats could be unloaded and the material piled on land.

The barge T is conditioned to steam from point to point, and can be equipped with all the necessary apparatus for the work to be done. Y

Fig. 6, Sheet III, representsin side view an adjustable endless elevator'and conveyer mounted on wheels.

In the drawings, 1 is a platform mounted on wheels. This platform is provided with aframe formed of four uprights, 2 2, and the requisite cross-pieces 3 3. On the inner edges of these uprights are formed ways 4 4, on which slides the elevator-frame 5 5. The elevator F is constructed substantially like the elevator F, before described.

On the spider-shafts are fitted chain-wheels 10. A conveyer, A, constructed like those before described, and above it the chute 11, are

secured by hinged joints to the sliding elevator-frame 5 5, so as to rise and fall with it. Small wheels are attached to the free end of chute 11 to permittheindependent adjustment ofthe conveyer.

12 is one side of the end frame of the car or wheeled platform, to which the end of the conveyer A is adjustably suspended by the rope 13, passing round a pulley.

15 are sword-plates provided with a series of holes and located on each side of the end of the conveyer.

I 15. is a chute attached to the conveyer by means of a rod passing through the holes in the sword-plates, and through eyes formed on the bottom of the chute. By this arrangement the position of the chute 15 can be changed to-accommodate itself to the different degrees of elevation of the delivery end of the conveyer. The other end of the chute 15 is vertically adjustable by the rope 14, passing over a pulley. 16 is a chute suspendedby a rope, 20, passing over pulleys 21 21, and connected by a central pivot, 16, to the bottom of the chute 15. This connection gives to the chute 16 a lateral swing or adjustment, so that the materials can be delivered at different points. This chute is also provided witha door, 18, hinged to its bottom part, which, when in the position shown in the'drawings, delivers into car 22, but when adjusted to lie upon the bottom of the chute 16 delivers into car'22.

The elevator and conveyer are driven and the elevator raised by power communicated from the engine O,asfollows: The chain-wheel 7 on the shaft of the driving-wheel 6 is connected with the elevator by a chain-band passing over the pulleys 9 9, fixed in the stationary frame 2 '2, and around the chain-wheels 10 10 on the spider-shafts. The conveyer A is moved by connecting the chain-wheel on its spider-shaft with a similar wheel on the spider shaft of the elevator, as before fully described. 'When the wheels 6 and 7 are revolved in the direction of the arrow the elevator is driven in the proper direction to deliver upon the conveyer, and the conveyer in turn to deliver upon the chute 15. The elevator is raised to any height within the limits of its vertical adgine and the direction of the revolution of the wheels 6 and 7. This will give an upward pull on the chain-band and cause the elevator to be lifted to any required point, as shown by' the dotted lines. I

The adjustable elevator, after being raised to any desired height, may be held in place by means of racks and pawls. To this end the two forward uprights of the elevator-frame 5 5 may be provided with racks extending throughout their entire length, and pawls to engage with such racks may be placed 011 the platform of the car, or in any other position to make the proper engagement. This construction is especially applicable to lifting materials from sunken bins or dumping-grounds beneath railway-tracks and conveying them into cars, vessels, or buildings, or to any desired place for transportation or storage. The car carrying the elevator and other equipments can be run from place to place wherever ordinary railwaytracks are laid.

Fig. 7, Sheet IV, is a plan view of an arrangement of main and cross conveyers.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views showing-the com munication of power from the main to the cross conveyers.

In the drawings, A is the main conveyer, constructed and operating substantially like those before described, and A A are crossconveyers of similar construction, all driven over revolving spiders located at their ends.

'24 24: are frames built around the spiders to support the shafts of the spiders and geared wheels.

25 isa shaft, located above the plane of the main conveyer A, and carrying the geared wheel 29 and the beveled geared wheel 27.

is a geared wheel on the spider-shaft of the main conveyer, and 28 is a geared beveled wheel on the spider-shaft of the cross-conveyer, meshing with wheel 27.

The shafts 25 25 are so constructed that th geared wheels 29 and 30 can be readily thrown out of engagement by a clutch or other wellknown device, whenever it is desired to drive the main conveyer without running the crossconveyer.

The power is transmitted to one of the end spiders of the main conveyer in the manner heretofore described, or otherwise, and is communicated to the other end spider of the main conveyer by the series of conveyer-pans. Revolution is given to the spiders of the cross-conveyers which are adjacent to the ends of the main by the geared beveled wheels 27 and 28, which are driven by the meshing of the wheels 30 and 29, and the other spiders of the crossconveyers are driven by power communicated through the pans, as described.

Recross-conveyers may be combined with the cross-conveyers A A by the employment of substantially the same devices for communicating the power as above set forth. In the arrangement shown in the drawings it will be seen that the cross-conveyors are located suffieiently above the main conveyer to deliver upon it, and this arrangement is applicable to all cases when it is required to bring the material from several different points to a single point-e. 9., to the foot of an elevator, as'

shown in Fig. 5. On the otherhand, if it is required to take the material from a single point and distribute it in different bins or compartments, as in piling coal or ores or storiu g grain, the cross-conveyors should pass underneath the ends of the main conveyer to receive the material as it is delivered, and convey it to the required receptacles. In such case the shafts 25 25 will be placed below the top of the main conveyer, so that the bevelwheels 27 and 28 will mesh with each other.

The combination of the shoveler F and the conveyer A without the elevator F, substantially as shown in Fig. 5, Sheet II, can be used to great advantage for many purposes. It is especially applicable to excavating and filling, as in constructing road-beds .for railways and many like purposes. Sand, loose earth, and fine gravel will be taken up automatically by the shoveler, and as the conveyer can be lengthened almost indefinitely these materials can be delivered in a continuous supply at any reasonable distance and at a trifling expense compared with the present method by the use of carts, barrows, or cars.

What is claimed as new is l 1. An endless conveyer composed of a series of pans hinged together (by links and rods) in such manner that their sides and ends overlap each other, and that they can be readily disconnected for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the conveyer, substantially as set forth. y

2. The combination of an endless conveyer provided with a series of pans hinged by rods and link-eyes, substantially as described, and revolving spiders, the conveyer being driven by the arms of the spiders engaging with the link-eyes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in an endless conveyer provided with aseries of hinged pans and driven by revolving spiders, of a series of wheels attached to rods beneath the pans, and an adjustable lower track, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

4. An upper track provided with angle-iron as guides for the wheels of an endless conveyer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An endless conveyer constructed and arranged to be shortened or lengthened at pleasure, substantially as set forth, in combination with a suitable supporting-frame constructed and arranged to be adjusted so as to conform to the varying lengths of the conveyer, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of an endless conveyer, constructed to be lengthened and shortened at pleasure, substantially as set forth, and an endless elevator, the conveyer being located to deliver material to or remove it from the elevator, substantially as described.

7. The combination of an endless elevator and an endless conveyer, each provided with a separate series of buckets or pans, the construction and arrangement being such that the conveyer is driven by power taken from a spidershaft or equivalent revolving device of the elevator and transmitted to the conveyer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In combination with a boat or barge, and suspended from a frame-permanently secured thereto, an endless elevator and endless conveyer, each provided with a separate series of hinged buckets or pans, the conveyer being driven by power transmitted to it from the elevator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. A vertically-adjustable endless elevator mounted upon a turn-table, in combination with an endless conveyer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. A laterally-adjustable endless elevator provided with wheels upon its foot, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In combination with an endless elevator and endless conveyer, a chute having its receiving end located belowthe top of the elevator, and its delivering end over the receiving end of the conveyer, so that the contents of the inverted buckets of the elevator is received upon and transferred by the chute to the pans of-the conveyer, substantially as described.

12. In combination with an endless elevator and endless conveyer, an-adjustable chute, S, connected with the delivery end of the conveyer and suspended from the frame of the barge or boat, substantially as and for the purpose described.

13. A11 endless conveyer, in combination with scales for weighing, located at the delivery end of the conveyor, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination of a shoveler and endless conveyer to deliver the material to a main elevator, and a main elevator laterally adjustable in the direction of the shoveler, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

15. The combination of a shoveler, an endless conveyer located between the shoveler and main elevator, a main elevator, and a conveyer to remove the material from the main elevator, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of the receiver J with an endless conveyer and the foot of an endless elevator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. In combination with a wheeled platform, a vertically-adjustable elevator and a vertically-adjustable conveyer, each provided with an endless series of buckets or pans, and so arranged that the conveyer is driven by power transmitted from the elevator, substantially as and-for the purpose set forth.

18. The combination of the sword-plates '15 with the eonveyer frame for adjusting the 5 chute 15, as set forth.

19. A chute, 16, provided with ahinged door, 18, for varying the delivery length of the chute, as set forth. Q 20. The combination of main and cross con- 10 veyers, each provided with a separate series of 

